The scoreboard read 24-24. You were in the back row of the court. You felt the sweat dripping down your forehead. You heard the student section going crazy for this last point. The smell of the girls' perfume from the other team was overwhelming. You jumped up for the ball and it smashed against your hand for the winning point. Your team placed 4th at WIAA volleyball state that year. Dad was so proud, mom didn't really care. But that was last year, this year is a whole other story.                 

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It is a beautiful fall day when you are driving to your last day of tryouts. Dad texts you good luck but you don't get a text from Mom. When you get there you don't really talk to anyone but the coach, you were very quiet and focused. You made varsity again! After tryouts, it was a dad day so you drove to Brownsville. Your parents have split custody of you. We went out to eat and you told him. He was over the moon about it that he bought you brand new volleyball shoes. That night you went home to moms in Knowles like you did every night you only stayed at dads if it was a weekend. 

“Hey mom, I'm home, where are you?” you asked.

“In the living room,” she replied.

“I made varsity again” you exclaimed. 

Mom in a monotone voice said, “Cool.”

You wanna yell at her. You just don't understand why she doesn't support you and shows up late to every game, but you don't, you just stay quiet.  

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The first game of the year is today and you got the libero position again. The Game starts at 7, dad shows up 20 minutes early so he gives you a good luck hug, Mom shows up 20 minutes late. your team won all 3 sets. It was an amazing game. Mom comes up to you after the game and says “welp that wasn't a good game”

I looked at her confused and said “What do you mean we won and I played well”

“Well, I wouldn’t say you played well you just kinda stood there. You missed wrestling practice for this, it was not worth it.”

Dad walks over just in time to hear this 

“What do you mean she was all over the court and worked hard, it's a good thing she didn't go to wrestling practice,” Dad said, raising his voice. 

“No, it's not she needs to get better at wrestling so she can make it to state this year because she's not that good.” Mom starts to yell. 

“If you don't think she's good then why do you want her to do wrestling?” Dad yells back. 

You don't know when to say anything so you just sit there and listen to them fight like always. Until mom says “I’m going to tell the coach you're done playing!”

“What no you can’t do that I love this sport” you yell at mom

“I don't care, wrestling is more important!” mom yells back 

“Wrestling is not something she should be doing in the first place; it's a boy sport!” Dad chimes in.  

“No this is not fair you guys have always been like this and I'm tired of It. I'm packing a bag and don't expect me home for a while for either of you, oh and I'm done with any sport so you can’t come to see me!” you yell as you walk out of the gym.

You flew home to pack a bag and get out before Mom got home. You haven't eaten all day so you went to Mcdonald's. Sitting in your car eating, you remember all the time when your parents would fight and just bash each other. You check into Lomira Inn and Suites to stay for a while, you did actually quit volleyball and wrestling. You never rejoined any sports in your junior year. You just wanted to be focused on your schoolwork. 

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It's now your senior year, you haven't talked to your parents in 10 months. September is right around the corner for volleyball season. You still haven't decided if you can bring yourself to do it or not. You don't have any hard classes for school to be a reason not to do it but your parents are still in your head a lot. You know it will make mom mad if you do volleyball and dad mad if you do wrestling. You really need to think for yourself and get your parents out of your head. You decide to go to tryouts and it turns out you still got it, you made varsity. 

That is the best season of your life. The team got 1st at state and you were voted and rewarded MVP for your team. Everything with volleyball felt good again. You couldn't be more happy that you rejoined, you only have 3 weeks to decide if you're going to wrestle. You decided to lift after school so you could be ready if you do wrestling and it helps with volleyball. Well, it's been 3 weeks and you are weighing yourself for the first wrestling practice. You decide to work extra hard this year. The season goes by in what feels like slow motion but sectionals are getting close. You are so nervous this will decide whether you make it to state or not. The match starts, you have 6 minutes to make it happen. 2 minutes and 24 seconds into the match your hand is getting raised. You made it happen, you're going to state. 

State is next weekend, you are thinking you should tell your parents. You send your mom and dad a text saying “Hey I need to talk to you guys so can you meet me at George Webbs on Wednesday at 7:30.”  

I got no response but it was 7:30 and Im at George Webbs and they actually showed up. 

“So I have some news for you guys,” you said 

Dad spoke first “What up” 

“Well first of all my volleyball team placed 1st at state this year,” you spoke up.

“ Oh my, that's amazing, I'm so proud of you!” Dad said all excised. 

“ I don't really care, you could have spent that time wrestling.” Mom said.

“Well there's more I made it to state for wrestling and it's next weekend” you finally said to them.

Mom spoke up right away “Yes that's my girl I knew you could do it!”

You hated that mom was happy about it, you knew she would be but you still hated it. 

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You have spent the last hour in the car driving to Madison. You finally get to wrestle in the Kohl Center.  State is here, you have wrestled 2 matches already and won both of them. One more to go and it's for 1st place. It's time six minutes to make it happen, be fast and do this for yourself. The ref blows the whistle, and let's go. 4 minutes and 54 seconds into the match you just won girl state! You did it and it was all for you. You finally got your parents out of your head.